Feeding

The largest land carnivore, the polar bear are at the top of the Arctic food chain. A polar bear's prime source of food is the ringed seal, the most common seal in the arctic. In winter, polar bears wait by breathing holes for the seals to surface. During the summer months, polar bears stalk the seals that lay basking in the sun. The bears will slowly creep up on their prey, freezing whenever the seals open their eyes. Once within twenty feet of the seal, they will pounce, trapping the seal under their massive claws. More often than not, however, the seals escape; studies have shown that polar bears are successful hunters only five percent of the time.

Polar Bears usually eat every six or seven days. They are almost exclusively carnivorous, most commonly feasting on ringed or bearded seals, along with the occasional narwhal or beluga whale. When food is scarce, they may scavenge. When food is abundant, Polar Bears will feed solely upon the blubber and skin of their prey, leaving the remains for younger, less experienced bears and other scavengers, such as the arctic fox.